FASHOLA GAGS COMMISSIONERS

Governor Babatunde
Fashola of Nigeria’s Lagos State  has banned commissioners, other
political office holders and all civil servants  from granting interviews
to journalists.

The governor said
that any political office holders who must grant press interviews must take
permission from the Ministry of Information in order not to leak government’s
official secrets.

According to the Head
of Service, HOS, Adesegun Ogunlewe, the governor had directed that no public
servant or political office holders must grant press interviews without due
approval.

During his first
tenure, Fashola imposed similar ban on commissioners and other public office
holders who took permission from the then Commissioner for Information and
Strategy before granting press interviews. This restriction made many
commissioners look docile and gagged.

Ogunlewe, in a
circular, said: “It has become imperative as government has observed that some
public officials have formed the habit of granting informal interviews and in
the process divulging official information on public policies which are still
under consideration and are not yet approved for action by government.

“Consequently, the
governor has directed that no government functionary (public servants and
public office holders) should grant press interviews or issue press statements
without the approval of the Ministry of Information and Strategy.”

“Furthermore, under
no circumstance should any public servants or public office holders comment or
discuss government policies which are still under consideration. Government is
aware that officers may be required to represent their political heads and read
speeches at event, such officers are to limit themselves to the contents of the
written speeches which must have been cleared appropriately prior to the event
by their political heads,” he added.

Ogunlewe warned that
violation of the order would lead to sanctions against any offender.

Source: PMNews